EVERY GARDENER CAN HELP FEED OUR NEIGHBORS FACING FOOD INSECURITY

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Mar 02, 2011—RALEIGH, NC

Logan Trading Company, in partnership with the Inter-Faith Food Shuttle, is gearing up for its 3rd annual Plant a Row for the Hungry (PAR) kick-off to encourage all gardeners to grow a little extra produce to donate to the hungry and homeless. The kick-off event will be on Saturday, March 12th, from 11am to 5:30pm at Logan Trading Company, 707 Semart Drive, in downtown Raleigh. It will include activities for children, talks on growing and harvesting fruits and vegetables, and special give-aways.

PLANT A ROW FOR THE HUNGRY

Plant a Row for the Hungry (PAR) is a national campaign begun by the Garden Writers Association in 1995 that encourages garden communities and individuals to donate fresh vegetables, fruit, herbs and flowers to people in need. Inter-Faith Food Shuttle is the Triangle's PAR partner, distributing your produce to local food pantries, shelters, and other hunger-relief organizations.

HOW CAN YOU HELP?

Food donations can be brought to Logan's during normal business hours, and donations of seeds, gently used tools, canned and dried foods are always welcome.

Last year, the Logan's community donated 6,454 lbs. to the Inter-Faith Food Shuttle. This year, Logan's goal is to get to 10,000 lbs!

"A fruit or vegetable, like tomato or spinach, a day is out of reach for more than 50 million Americans," commented Jill Staton Bullard, Co-Founder and Executive Director of Inter-Faith Food Shuttle. "For more than 21 years we've been providing healthy, nutritious food to our neighbors who are food insecure. Our Plant-A-Row partnership with Logan's helps gather fresh produce and share with our neighbors who do not have access to healthy, affordable food in our community."

"It may be hard to imagine, but the face of hunger in the Triangle isn't just homeless people in our downtowns: It is the face of an elderly neighbor choosing between food and medication. It is the working parent who earns too much to qualify for food stamps so she goes without in order to feed her children. It is the middle class family dealing with job loss and relying on the local food pantry for donations," said Leslie Logan, general manager. "Everyone can do something to help alleviate hunger in our community. Donating as little as one pound of fresh produce ? a few tomatoes or a couple of squash ? can supplement up to four meals for a person in need."